Chapter 36: Final Atonement
Kass...forgive me.
The serene calm within the Time Nest remained undistrubed by the battle raging on just a mere portal away, Genn standing with his head held high at the end of the stairs. He was clad in a new set of black and gold Saiyan armor, but instead of the traditional straps that the armor hung from on his shoulders, a singular rope like appendage hung around the back of his neck to hold the armor up. The ceramic mask's red eyes now lit up brilliantly, the x-shaped design accentuated by the glow and his boots mimicking a similar design to Bardock's own set.
This is my last stop...I can feel it. I've tried convincing myself that some greater power will wash it all away and show me that everything is going to turn out normal in the end...but I know in my heart that its all a lie. I could see everything sort of...blur whenever I told myself I'd be fine, that'd I'd finally make the difference and earn my right to live in peace. But when I embrace that truth...that I won't be coming home...everything feels warm again. The sun is shining...the wind is blowing...and the world around us just feels...safer.
He grinned behind the mask, his arms at his side.
And you...you've never needed me. You were so desperate for someone to care for that you put all this effort, turning a punk into someone you could be proud of. I just hope you'll understand one day...what it means to me knowing that you'll care when this is all over.
A pair of shoes lightly tapping as they descended down the steps caught Genn's attention, turning his head slightly and watching Whis make his way up to Genn's side.
"How do you like the armor?"
Genn nodded his head, adjusting the wrist sleeves with his hands.
"It's great Whis...I really appreciate you doing that for me."
Whis stifled a small chuckle.
"Come now, it's just a set of armor."
Genn turned his head forward.
"I know...but I won't get the chance to thank you later for it."
Whis' warm smile disappeared.
"What do you mean?"
Genn kept his attention forward.
"This is it for me, Whis. I won't survive this fight."
Whis kept a flat stare trained on Genn for a moment, before slowly turning his head forward as well.
"There's a certain someone that won't be too pleased about that sort of mindset."
Genn chuckled.
"Yeah...I know. But its for her own good, so I'm not too worried."
Whis' tone grew more serious.
"It's also hardly a good battle plan. You're putting yourself at a disadvantage against an opponent that wildly outclasses you: dying is one thing. But you'd be throwing away your life for nothing without the greatest motivator to drive your success in battle: the will to live."
Genn sighed.
"Whis...you know Zamasu is just going to spin that around on me if I try to use it as motivation. It'll bring those lives I've ruined peace if I paid my debts in full. It feels right...going into this and knowing I'm not going to come out alive. Let me have my moment in time...and I can die happy, knowing I saved everyone."
Whis turned his eyes slightly towards Genn, a small frown forming on his face.
"That debt doesn't stop at your death, Genn. You would burn for those sins forever...there is no redemption that awaits you, no punishment that will cleanse you. If you go through with this...you will be sent to Hell and you will never be free of the punishment that comes with it."
Genn kept a flat tone.
"So be it."
Whis turned his head fully, staring down at Genn with a flat stare. His own expression fell for only a second, his eyes turning however, at the sight of the portal across the way distorting in shape. The taller angel kept his frown, his eyes turning at the sight of Genn taking a small step forward and letting out a small sigh.
"Alright...here goes."
Genn turned his head back slightly, his tone light-hearted.
"I guess you're gonna have to learn to be friends with him if I mess this up, huh?"
"Genn."
Genn blinked behind his mask, turning back to face towards Whis fully. The cold, dark response from the normally cheerful Whis confused the Saiyan, meeting Whis' narrowed eyes as he spoke with a low, serious tone.
"Please...do not fail here. Zamasu must not win."
Genn turned his head forward fully, frowning at Whis' response.
Never thought I'd hear him care about something. Well...so much for keeping things light in this fight...
Stepping forward, Genn soon came to a halt a few feet from Zamasu, who had finally emerged through the portal completely with his arms at his side. The fallen Kaioshin narrowed his eyes into a strong glare, stopping as well on the stone cobble pathway and locking eyes with the mask in front of him.
"Who are you?"
Genn lifted his head slightly, his voice flat.
"I'm the one who will stop you. The Masked Saiyan."
Zamasu cocked an eyebrow, his arms visibly tensing and raising slightly.
"The Masked Saiyan?"
His narrowed eyes left Genn, landing on Whis who stood alone on the opposite side of the Nest at the edge of the stairs.
Another mortal lifted up by the angel...damn him. Going through this protegee might be too difficult for me, if he compares with the likes of Lord Beerus...
Perking his eyebrows, Zamasu blinked in shock at the sudden surge of energy radiating from Genn, watching the man power up with a white aura.
"Leave now. You won't get a second warning."
Zamasu's concerned stare had completely shifted into a cocky smirk, his eyes widening slightly.
"There's only one Patroller in the force that has such an embarrassing level of power...let alone that specific energy signature."
His body relaxed, his arms falling completely to the sides once again.
"Genn. For a minute there...I almost thought you were a threat."
Zamasu chuckled darkly.
"You actually plan on fighting me?"
Genn raised his arms, cocking his right fist back and holding it at shoulder level and his left down in front of his leg. Zamasu's smirk diminished slightly, watching him move into the fighting stance.
"Vegetto's stance, hmm?"
His glare intensified.
"You're going to need a lot more than sentiment to beat me."
Genn only grunted in response, bolting forward and swinging his right arm up into an uppercut aimed at Zamasu's chin. The blow struck only air, Zamasu casually stepping to the side and quickly driving his own right fist into Genn's ribs, forcing the Saiyan to stumble back with a gasp. Clutching his side, Genn grimaced, glancing down and rubbing it slightly for a moment before turning his attention back to Zamasu.
"I have to admit, I thought you'd be faster than that."
Genn shot forward once again, both arms raised and swiping out at Zamasu's head this time. Zamasu threw up his arms as well, his left hand catching Genn's right fist and his right soon countering Genn's left hook. With his arms crossed above his chest and holding Genn's fists in front of him, Zamasu smirked as he shot up his right knee into Genn's chest. The Saiyan's eyes went wide from the force of the blow, his head soon whipping to the side as Zamasu cleanly swung his elbow out to strike Genn's head while still holding onto his fists.
Genn slumped instinctively, his labored breathing apparent as Zamasu kept him from completely collapsing to the ground. Red lightning suddenly spiralled around Genn's body, prompting a small screech from the Saiyan while Zamasu chuckled darkly at the sight.
"No no. You're going to have to finish what you started. I want to see you follow down the path your arrogance has forced you to walk."
Zamasu's narrowed glare returned, forcing Genn up to his feet suddenly and driving his forehead forward, slamming it into Genn's. The Saiyan yelped at the sudden strike, the mask denting slightly from the force of the strike while Zamasu glared strongly into the red eyes.
"Then, when you finally feel your life begin to slip away and all of your resources have left you, you'll know what is truly the force that shapes this universe."
Genn grunted, suddenly pulling back and breaking free of Zamasu's grip. He stumbled back a few steps, his arms raising once more while Zamasu casually took a step forward, his arms dropping to his sides.
"I used to believe true divinity was represented by a holy light...a shining beacon that was stronger than all others, and would consume all in its glory. But...clearly...you mortals used that mentality to overcome my former self, and I paid the price for that mistake the first time."
Zamasu lept forward, landing directly in front of Genn and prompting a small shocked gasp from the Saiyan. The two stood face to face for a moment in awkward silence, Genn hesitantly launching a left elbow in a swipe at Zamasu's head only for it to get slapped back down in the same direction and Zamasu's right knee driving into the Saiyan's stomach once again. Genn hacked in pain, keeling forward and clutching his abdomen with both hands while Zamasu towered over him, watching Genn drop down to his knees.
"I see the truth now, though, watching you squirm at my feet. There is no light that shines forever, no fire that burns forever. Light and fire are just like you, in that it lives for only a period of time."
Genn roared, rising to his feet and shooting up another right hook in an attempt to strike at Zamasu's chin, only to sail past as Zamasu leaned back, shortly before he punted Genn back a few feet from another knee to his chest. Flipping across the ground, Genn soon came to a halt on the ground, face first with Zamasu landing gently in front of him.
"It is only natural that pathetic mortals, even in their weakened states, were able to overcome me in my misguidance. So, in my studies, I wondered: where did I make the mistake? I am immortal, my will cannot be denied forever. I will persist long after you have all perished, and I am a representation of true justice and time itelf: unending. So why has the divine light that has given me true clarity failed to destroy your kind?"
Genn's arms visibly wobbled as he slowly pushed himself up off the ground, but was suddenly hoisted in the air by Zamasu's right arm, a green hand tightly constricting around the Saiyan's throat.
"The truth is that there was no divine light at all: this entire time, I realized, I had made the same mistake you had. Believing in a conceptual idea that made no sense: a light that shines forever. There is only one true force of nature that is unending, the immortal enemy that the finite flames struggle to repel in its desperate bid for survival."
Zamasu lowered Genn down to eye level after a moment, his sinister smirk growing.
"Darkness. The dark consumes all it touches, grows without reason, and can never be destroyed. That is where true justice lives...and no matter how high you stoke the flames of rebellion, the fire will still die in the end. I simply need to wait it out, instead of trying to overcoming it. Because like light and fire...you will eventually die out."
Zamasu chuckled darkly, releasing his grip on Genn's throat and punting the Saiyan back with a light kick.
"So struggle, little fire. Stoke the flames as high as they can go. When the world around you burns to ash and you have nothing left to spur you forward, then you will see what it is you are truly defying."
Genn panted heavily, rising slowly to his feet as Zamasu tensed his arms visibly.
"And only then...will you earn your place in Hell."
A pulsing shockwave erupted out in every direction from the ground below, cracking the surface. Putine grimaced as she gripped onto two fists from opposite sides, her arms shaking heavily in their attempt to hold back Vegetto and Vegetto Black's blows. Her head turned up, watching Trunks descend from the sky with his sword high above his head and preparing to slash.
Putine shifted back slightly, both Vegetto and Vegetto Black moving closer inward as she diverted a little focus to swing out her right leg, punting the broad side of Trunks' sword to the side and throwing him off balance. She quickly pulled her leg back before Trunks could stumble into her, letting out a small roar and kicking him across the ground. Her eyes then turned back to Vegetto, her hands guiding both of them slightly in front of her and her arms crossing before releasing her grip on them. Balling up her hands into fists, she extended both arms back out and struck both fused warriors with the back ends of her fists, propelling them opposite directions.
The demon goddess straightened herself out, her expression lightening into a confident smirk as she glanced around.
"Three on one, and you still lack the power to beat me. Disgraceful."
Vegetto huffed as he emerged from the small curtain of rocks that covered him, brushing off the dust and dirt from his upper gi with a frown. His eyes turned to Trunks, rising up to his feet while the other Saiyan flew up and landed next to him.
"This isn't working, she's too strong to fight head on."
Trunks nodded, twirling up his sword and sheathing the blade.
"Any ideas?"
Vegetto panted for a moment, but turned his head at the familiar voice ringing out to his opposite side.
"I'm here!"
Vegetto's perked eyebrows immediately fell at the sight of Kassava standing next to him, let out a small chuckle.
"Where have you been? Taking a nap?"
Kassava snorted.
"As soothing as the sound of you getting your ass kicked all over the city is, no, I wasn't."
She held out her right hand, peering around Vegetto to Trunks.
"Hey Trunks, can you give me a senzu?"
Trunks nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small little bean. He tossed it around Vegetto, Kassava catching it and chewing on the bean while Vegetto spoke with his eyes trained on Putine, who stood with her back to the three.
"Anyway...I have a plan. But it involves charging up a massive attack, and stalling her for time to build up the energy."
Kassava sighed lightly, a golden aura rapidly shooting up from underneath her boots and engulfing her body in transforming into a Super Saiyan.
"Great...another beatdown. Well...we are getting better and holding them off for awhile until you're ready so-"
"Actually."
Kassava and Trunks both stumbled slightly to the side from the sudden explosion of blue energy, turning back to see Vegetto having already powered up to his Super Saiyan Blue 3 state. Kassava's wide eyes looked over the long flowing mane now gently floating behind Vegetto's back while the fused warrior spoke with a gruff voice.
"I'll stall her this time. You two, pool your power together and get ready."
Without waiting for a response, Vegetto shot forward across the ground. His eyes remained locked on Putine, managing to land a foot behind her and crouching down while she stood with her hands on her hips, looming over Vegetto Black that sat with his back to the wall.
"You chose to side with them, and now you'll die along with them. No one will remember you-"
Vegetto roared, his right fist slamming into Putin's cheek, her shocked expression slowly forming around the blow buried into her face. She collapsed instantly to the floor, bouncing and flipping along the cement paveway for a few seconds before crashing into a nearby plateau of rock. She quickly pulled herself out of the rubble, her wide eyes staring down Vegetto who stood with his arms at his side with a confident smirk a few feet in front of her.
"I'm starting to see a pattern with you villains and leaving yourselves open."
Putine snarled lightly in response, raising her fists.
"It's better than the pattern of heroes, that die in the face of their betters."
Vegetto's smirk rose.
"Ooh, scathing."
The two shot forward, landing fists together in an even exchange and shooting up into the sky.
Trunks stared wide eyed at the two exchanging blows high in the sky, blinking hard.
"I can barely track them...incredible."
He turned his head, however, at the nudging on his shoulder. Kassava frowned up at him with narrowed eyes, dropping her arm.
"Hey, we should be charging up an attack right now. This won't last forever."
Trunks nodded, crouching down and tensing his arms.
"Right, let's-"
"WHIS!"
Trunks blinked once again, his head turning up at the thunderous shout from a familiar voice. He let his arms fall, watching Beerus land lightly next to Kassava. The god of destruction held his arms behind his back, his blank stare looking over the city plaza littered with demon soldier corpses.
"I see you two have been busy."
His narrowed glare turned to Trunks.
"Where is Whis? He's been gone for...well..."
Beerus' serious glare lightened, his eyes turning up and rubbing his chin as he thought for a moment.
"A week?"
Both Saiyans only blinked at him in response, Beerus waving his hand and dismissing the question with a smirk.
"Anyway, I've come to inform him that my student has now surpassed the power of Blue. He has ascended to-"
Beerus' eyes slowly expanded, however, staring up at the sudden surge of power high above the ground. Blinking hard, the god of destruction watched the ensuring fight between Vegetto and Putine with a shocked stare.
"What the hell is that?!"
Trunks nodded, turning his head up.
"Super Saiyan Blue 3. He accidentally killed you with it earlier in a training exercise."
Beerus frowned, glancing down to Trunks.
"How?"
Trunks kept his head up.
"He overwhelmed you, when you weren't on guard. The attack he used was massively above that power there, and he hit you from two sides with it when you weren't looking."
Beerus narrowed his eyes, his expression returning to normal.
"His movements aren't what I imagined at that level of power...and his energy is draining rapidly."
He perked an eyebrow, turning back to Trunks.
"Who is he fighting?"
Trunks frowned.
"We don't really know. She's from the Demon Realm...and she's working with Zamasu to seize control of time. "
He suddenly turned back towards Beerus, Kassava blinking as she glanced between them both.
"Listen, Beerus, we need your help. If we don't stop her, she will destroy all of us and seize control of time! Everything could be destroyed!"
Beerus kept a flat stare, peering up at the fight above.
"Don't be so dramatic. If she seizes control of time, she would only shape the universe in her image. You may all die, but the sun will continue to rise and the universe will still exist."
Kassava frowned as well.
"So you'll just let all of those people die than stopping her here and now?"
Beerus shrugged his shoulders lightly, but glanced down.
"If that is the outcome that awaits the universe, then so be it. It is not my place to thwart the natural order. In fact, my job often entails a similar concept."
Trunks balled his hands into fists.
"The natural order?! If it wasn't for you destroying Zamasu in the present, we wouldn't even be in this mess to begin with!"
Beerus peered back over to Trunks, watching on as the half Saiyan swung his fist down angrily.
"Zamasu would have been destroyed by me in the Future, and we wouldn't have to deal with this second timeline that gave Towa the power she needed to break the seal on the Demon Realm! All of this is your fault: you did nothing to help us stop Zamasu in the future, and nothing to solve this mess now!"
Beerus' narrowed glare met Trunks', the half Saiyan finally dropping his arms and the anger leaving his voice.
"If you were half the god you're supposed to be, you would take responsibility for what you've done."
Kassava's eyes widened, staring at Trunks in shock before quickly glancing back and forth between the two. Her eyes settled on Beerus, watching the god bow his head slightly with a small smirk.
"Tell me...is that demon a god?"
Trunks glanced down.
"Yes."
Beerus nodded once.
"Then if I destroy her now, wouldn't that create another timeline where she still exists?"
Trunks frowned, lifting his eyes back up to meet Beerus.
"No, this world exists outside of time. Her death will have no impact on history."
Beerus kept his smirk, slowing rising into the air.
"Good, then leave her to me."
Both Saiyans blinked hard, watching Beerus take off and come to a halt in between Vegetto and Putine. Vegetto blinked in confusion, floating back a few feet.
"Lord Beerus?"
Beerus kept his arms locked behind his back, his head turned to Putine.
"Quite the battle you two are enjoying. Forgive the interruption."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"But it ends now."
Putine scoffed.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
Her eyes went wide, caught off guard by the purple fist now buried into her stomach. She clutched her abdomen instinctively, her head raising to see the fist opening into a flat palm, the thumb bent in front of the center. Beerus' stern stare looked over Putine once, his voice flat.
"Haki."
A pulse of wind exploded outward from Putine's body, her eyes growing wide. A momentary scream escaped her lips as her entire form shined with a bright white light, encasing her form and exploding outward into multiple particles. Vegetto stared on with wide eyes, watching the light particles flutter with the breeze above and soon disappearing into the sky completely. Beerus lowered his arm, a deep sigh escaping his mouth and slowly descending down to the ground.
"There...I have paid my debt in full."
Vegetto's blue hair receded rapidly back to its normal state, the color changing back to black as he landed next to Beerus on the ground. He looked over Beerus for a moment, his concerned voice low when he spoke.
"Lord Beerus...you're panting. Are you alright?"
Beerus nodded.
"I'm fine. The Haki uses up a lot of power when destroying beings of that caliber, but I will recover in a moment."
The god of destruction turned his eyes to the side, however, landing on the figure clad in black gi slowly pushing himself up from the rubble.
"Is that Zamas?"
Vegetto nodded, moving in between Beerus and Vegetto Black.
"Yes...but let me explain."
Genn staggered back a few steps, a blow to his chest knocking him back. He raised his arms again, leaping forward and connecting a jab with his right fist to Zamasu's hand, and attempting to launch his right knee up as well. He turned his eyes down, gasping lightly at Zamasu catching the knee with his other free hand, pushing it down casually and back handing Genn to the left with his free hand.
Stumbling to the floor, Genn collapsed onto one knee and panted heavily while Zamasu loomed over him, his arms at his sides.
"Muay Thai, Ju Jitsu, Taekwondo...you've tried them all, mortal. Surely even you can see how foolish it is to try the same techniques over and over again."
Genn slowly rose to his feet, his breath labored but still throwing his arms up.
"No one...is perfect. You'll slip up eventually."
Zamasu chuckled, stepping back slightly to dodge another fist sailing past him. He shot up his left knee, driving it into Genn's neck as he sailed past and bringing his left elbow down onto the back of Genn's neck. Firmly locking him in place with both appendages, Zamasu broke out into a dark smirk as he spoke.
"Isn't that the reason why you cling to martial arts in the first place?"
He lifted his elbow, shifting his leg and punting Genn across the grass knoll before straightening himself out again.
"Those fighting stances, those forms...they're all designed to improve an imperfection in efficiency. Strike faster, strike harder, at the lowest cost of effort. Forcing your body to be what it is not designed to be: strong."
Zamasu walked casually forward, looming over Genn as he lay face first on the ground before slowly leaning over and grabbing the Saiyan by his hair, hoisting him up.
"The knowledge of self improvement...the gift bestowed onto your feeble kind by the gods themselves, gave birth to those forms in an effort to improve your weak nature. But in the end, they will only ever improve upon what you are at heart: weak and pathetic. Trash...will always be trash."
His right fist shot forward once more, digging back into Genn's stomach and prompting a pained hack from the Saiyan. He pulled it back, driving it forward once again in a downward strike and slamming it into the side of Genn's mask, forcing the head to whip to the side. Zamasu pulled his arm back once again, preparing to strike once more but narrowing his eyes at the sight of Genn falling mostly limp.
"Get up. You don't get to run away from this lesson."
Genn grunted, tilting his head back down and meeting Zamasu at eye level, the red eyes of his ceramic mask still glowing.
"And what are you...supposed to be...then? You fight...with Muay Thai...you were born...a mortal too."
He took a moment to pant heavily, trying to steady his breathing as his voice grew dark.
"A wish from a magical dragon won't change who you are...scum. Behind your immortality and hate...you're just the same as the rest of us."
Zamasu's eyebrow twitched slightly, staring into the red eyes as Genn chuckled darkly.
"Trash...will always be trash."
Zamasu snarled, launching his free fist up into Genn's stomach again. He rapidly pulled back his fist back, driving it again and again downwards as he pummeled Genn furiously for the comeback. His eyes grew wide with rage, soon releasing Genn's hair and punting him back across the grass. Genn cried out in pain, bouncing along the surface before crashing through the small rocks bordering the single pond, and disappearing into the water with an enormous splash.
Zamasu paused for a moment, panting lightly and standing with a slight crouch. His eyes remained wide for a moment, but slowly narrowed as his breathing slowed while he recollected himself. His confident expression returned fully at the sight of Genn struggling to pull himself out of the pond, walking towards him as he listened to the Saiyan gasping for air.
"I have evolved, fool. My immortality is nothing like the feeble techniques and forms you use to desperately improve your own imperfections: it has made me more than what I was before. I am a new being, granted divinity by the Super Dragon Balls and given purpose in cleansing those that are unworthy of the power they hold. Whether it's mortal scum granted divine power such as your hero, Vegetto, or the gods that foolish attempt to build up the mortal trash around them to do their bidding."
His glare intensified, watching Genn rise slowly to his feet.
"Then, finally, there are those like you, who are not even powerful to begin with. You're just a little boy, taking advantage of those smaller than even you. Desperately trying to deny who you are, and what you'll always be."
Zamasu loomed over Genn slightly, now standing only a foot away from him. His smirk grew, watching Genn launch forward again with another left fist, catching it in his left ad holding him steadily in front of him.
"You're a coward, Genn...you will always be a coward. That...is why you hide behind the mask."
Zamasu's right fist shot down, his smirk growing at the sight of landing another punch to Genn's face. However, his smirk began to distort, his eyes growing wide as Genn's fist pushed deeper into his own cheek. Zamasu blinked hard, stumbling backwards and nearly dropping to the floor as he attempted to recover from the strike. A small gasp escaped his lips, his hand reaching up and carressing the cheek where the fist had struck him seconds ago for a moment.
His head and eyes both turned up, having only studied his hand for a second and staring wide eyed at Genn. His eyes landed first at the sight of the broken shards of ceramic plating near Genn's feet, slowly lifting up and meeting Genn's eyes head on. A small fracture of the mask was missing around the left side of his face, revealing Genn's left eye. Two trails of blood streamed down from his eyelids, dripping onto the mask itself and forming red, uneven lines on the front of the ceramic plating. Zamasu stared hard at a different sight, however, meeting Genn's eye that now held a small flash of silver along the pupil. The fallen Kaioshin kept his shocked expression, watching on as Genn slowly raised his left arm, beckoning Zamasu's next attack with his hand.
Zamasu instinctively snarled in annoyance, leaping forward once more and slinging his right fist out down at Genn's face. His expression shifted slightly, missing his mark for the first time in the battle, and attempting to reconnect with left uppercut. His eyes grew wide at striking only Genn's hair as the Saiyan ducked, staring down at the crouched Genn for a moment before the Saiyan lunged forward with a right fist to Zamasu's chin.
"HA!"
Zamasu's head whipped up from the blow, his eyes shutting tightly at the strike and stumbling back, only to keel forward from another blow to his stomach. Genn roared once more, spinning around and kicking the side of Zamasu's neck to propel him across the grassy knoll. Bouncing along the ground, Zamasu quickly recollected himself and slid to a halt on the green surface, his eyes wide.
"You..."
He rapidly rose to his feet, throwing down his fists with a thunderous roar.
"MORTAL SCUM!"
A black, ominous aura of volatile energy rapidly exploded up from underneath Zamasu's boots, engulfing his body as he shot forward with his right fist reeled back. Genn grunted, bolting forward as well with a significantly smaller, white aura. Both closed the gap within seconds of each other, their right fists forward and connecting with each other as they struggled to overpower the other, the energy exploding outwards behind them. Locked in an even struggle for control, Genn and Zamasu roared in ferocious unison, their arms both visibly trembling to maintain their position. However, Zamasu slashed his arm down first, breaking the hold and forcing Genn to stumble forward towards the ground only for Zamasu's free hand to shoot up, hoisting Genn up by the fractured mask and lifting him high into the air. The only visible portion of Genn's face contorted in agony, powerful strands of black electricity shocking his body as Zamasu expelled more violent energy through the hand that held Genn upright by the face. Still gasping tightly onto the mask, Zamasu launched his opposite fist up forward, punching Genn back down towards the floor and sending him crashing through the grassy knoll.
Zamasu panted lightly, his hand clutching onto the broken mask and studying it with a pleased smirk. He chuckled to himself as he crushed the ceramic plating in his hand, his voice low as he shook the remaining shards off.
"The Masked Saiyan is no more."
His smirk left, however, turning at the pressure of energy radiating from the small crater left in the wake of his previous attack. His eyes went wide once more at the sight of Genn fully rising up from the small crater, his narrowed eyes strong. The silver flash had left completely, his normal black pupils staring Zamasu down as he moved into Vegetto's fighting stance one more. However, his arm raised slightly, the bent elbow and left fist now hanging above his head, and his right moving closely inward towards his center in symmetry with his opposite arm.
Zamasu's stare remained wide, his arms tensing in preparation. He shook his head in frustration, his voice loud and dripping with desperation.
"I am immortal! You can't kill me...you will never kill me! I cannot die!"
The fallen Kaioshin gasped, watching Genn bolt forward silently towards him in another white dash. Stepping back, Zamasu parried the first punch with his right arm, his left arm swinging down to offset the following blow.
"Your cause is worthless! You will never win!"
Zamasu snarled again, his right fist shooting forward in the momentary gap in Genn's offense, landing neatly into Genn's hand. His eyes went wide with shock, visibly struggling to pull it back while he met Genn's intense glare, the Saiyan's voice low.
"Neither will you."
Zamasu lept back, pulling his arm away and stricken with fear across his face.
"No!"
He sauntered back, dodging each of Genn's continued strikes and panting heavily.
"No!"
The fallen Kaioshin threw up his right arm, managing to stop Genn's double handed axe and keeping both of the Saiyan's arms hoisted high above his head. Zamasu's eyes remained wide, his free arm glowing with sinister purple energy and forming a jagged blade.
"NO!"
Zamasu's arm shot forward with his defiant cry, the blade stabbing through Genn's exposed upper torso and protruding through his back. Genn's eyes went wide, his arms falling limp and drooping to his sides as he gawked in pain, the trails of blood already forming at the ends of his lips. Zamasu panted heavily, his fear stricken eyes darting around in every direction for a moment before he finally registered the damage he just inflicted, his breathing slowing. His eyes narrowed to close to their normal size, an awkward chuckle ringing out.
"Ha...haha...see? Nothing to fear..."
Zamasu's confident stare returned in full, twisting the blade slightly to prompt another pained groan from Genn.
"Just a mortal man...nothing more."
Genn grimaced, his head lifting slightly to meet Zamasu's eyes. He grunted, weakly lifting his right arm and swinging it up at Zamasu's head, his arm rapidly dropping back to his side once it missed. Zamasu chuckled darkly at the sight.
"Still got some fight left in you, hmm? How adorable."
Zamasu shut his eyes, his confident smirk rising as he tilted his head and dodged the second swipe at the opposite of his head. He contently inhaled deeply, expelling a long sigh of relief and opening his eyes once again.
"Imagine the disgrace you should feel. Blindly charging me like a fool, failing to do any real damage to my immortal body. And for what?"
He cocked an eyebrow.
"So you could convince yourself that you had a chance to beat me before you died?!"
Genn's head hung low for a moment, Zamasu's eyes keenly studying him. The fallen Kaioshin's smirk faded, however, at the sight of Genn's own smirk once the Saiyan had lifted his head fully to meet Zamasu's eyes.
"I wasn't trying...to kill you."
Zamasu's eyebrow cocked once more, the confusion mounting in his expression for a moment before a sudden wave of green pulsed out on the side of his head. His eyes widened instinctively, his free hand reaching up and thumbing the Potara that now hung on the opposite ear.
"You were right all along Zamas...you...were an immortal being. We could never...kill you on your own. But I've seen your history...I know how you made yourself vulnerable to death."
Zamasu's wide eyes grew, attempting to fiddle off the Potara that would not budge. The glow resonated outward once more, an invisible pull yanking Zamasu back from where he stood. Genn chuckled, lifting his head slightly.
"Say goodbye to your immortality."
Zamasu grimaced, his head whipping to the side as Genn managed to spit a small amount of his blood into his left eye. The green glow reasonated outward one final time, Zamasu flying backwards from the invisible pull and the purple blade cleanly exiting Genn's body as he flew away.
"NO!"
Within a second, Zamasu completely disappeared through the portal on the opposite end of the Time Nest, the entire area growing silent as Genn wobbled on his two feet with a happy grin. He leaned forward slightly before tilting back full and falling towards the ground with his eyes half open.
I...did...it...
His fall was interupted, however, his upper back landing on a hand instead of the soft grass below. He blinked slightly in confusion, his head turning to the side and watching Whis gently guide him back a few feet.
"Whis? Is that you?"
Whis held a warm smile, propping Genn up against the lone tree next to the pond with one hand, the other clutching his scepter.
"Yes...I'm here."
Genn coughed once, his arms falling into his lap once he comfortably sat against the tree, the blood leaking out of his gaping wound. He smirked slightly, his eyes turning to Whis again as the taller angel knelt down next to him.
"Heh...I got him. I got him good."
Whis nodded once, reaching into his sash.
"Yes you did. But here-"
Pulling out a single green bean, Whis held the small magical item in front of Genn's lips.
"Get your strength back. You're losing a lot of blood here."
Whis perked his eyebrows, however, watching Genn shake his head and turn away from the bean.
"Nah...I'm ok. It feels better to just sit here...and rest for a change."
Whis frowned.
"You'll die if you don't eat one."
Genn turned his head back slightly, his eyes looking towards Whis.
"Those beans were meant for people to keep going...to keep fighting."
His head fully turned up to Whis, his eyes meeting the angel's.
"I'm tired...Whis. I want this."
Whis's frown remained, looking over Genn one more time before speaking in a low voice.
"Very well. Is there...anything you need?"
Genn coughed a couple of times in his first attempt to speak, his feet relaxing fully and pointing in opposite directions in his clumsily propping against the tree.
"Can...can you stay with me? I don't...I don't want to go alone."
Whis glanced away for a second at the request, his voice still low.
"Alright Genn."
The taller angel slowly lowered himself down to the ground with a heavy sigh, relaxing fully up against the tree next to Genn. The two sat for a few seconds in silence, the serene breeze rolling through the grass in front of them and lowering the tension that had occurred merely minutes ago. Whis did his best to avoid looking at Genn, his eyes wandering for a moment before stifling a small chuckle.
"You fought very well, you know. Your movements for a small portion of the fight were perfectly timed and matched Zamasu in power. It's almost as if you had learned to-"
"Whis."
Whis perked his head slightly, the pained whisper prompting him to stop mid sentence and turn his head slightly. He blinked at the sight of a bright, white glow emitting from Genn's left arm that hung out close and attempt to grasp at Whis' hand.
"Please...please don't let them fail. I know...you're not supposed...to intervene. But they are good people...Vegetto...Trunks..."
Whis frowned at the sight of water forming slightly in Genn's eyes, the voice growing weaker at the final name.
"Kass. All of them...they deserve to live."
Whis kept a strong frown, glancing away for a moment before he felt Genn's hand grasp at his own.
"The legend...the legend tells of the real Super Saiyan...God. Five...full blooded...Saiyans pooling their light...into one."
Whis blinked, the sensation of the white energy soon radiating up into Whis' arm and leaving Genn's.
"The light...is not energy. It's...the soul itself. Help her ascend...Whis. Help her...realize the legend."
Whis glanced down, studying the energy radiating from his own before it slowly disappeared. The sensation of the power remained and Whis glanced down for a moment to make sense of it before turning his head back up to Genn. The Saiyan had slumped completely forward, his chest falling still and devoid of any movement with his open, lifeless eyes staring at Whis' waist.
Whis slowly reached out, using two fingers to shut Genn's eyes and slowly pushed himself off the ground. His frown returned, his eyes narrowing as he moved to the center cobble pathway and stood still in the middle, waiting for Zamasu's return.